Posted Wednesday, June 20th, 2018

Michigan is HOT! With temperatures reaching the upper 90s and humidity still at Spring levels, we’re all reaching for the thermostat and cranking up the A/C. While nobody’s missing those sub-zero winter temperatures, we all need a bit of relief from the heat outside – without emptying our wallets! With that in mind, here are a few ways to maximize your A/C efficiency this summer and save money on your energy bill.

Remove the hot air firstEspecially when you’re cooking, venting the hot air from your home will keep your air conditioner from working overtime to cool things down. Before turning on your A/C, open a few windows and position fans so they blow air out rather than in. That way, the hot air starts flowing out before the cooled air begins filtering into your home.

Pay attention to your supply ventsOne of the biggest blockages of air flow happens to be one of the biggest things in your home: your sofa! Furniture that sits on top of or in front of air vents blocks cool air from circulating freely. Which would you rather cool down: The back of a recliner or your home’s air? Same with anything conductive that sits in front of air vents: Laundry, books, kids’ toys, etc. Keep your vents clear!

Change your A/C filterYour A/C filter is your first line of defense against dust and debris from circulating around your home’s air and ductwork. Over time, however, it will get clogged up with accumulated dirt, which will restrict airflow. Change your filter every 3 months to keep your air flowing freely and your air conditioner happy.

Close the blindsWhile we all love natural light, it has the unfortunate side effect of bringing even more heat into your home on an already hot day. Keeping the blinds closed will help keep some of that heat out, and drawing the curtains will provide another layer of insulation between the cool air of your home and the hot air outside!

Use your dehumidifierLet’s face it, Michigan is a humid state! It’s safe to say that 90 degrees in Michigan feels much more oppressive than 90 degrees in a drier place (like Arizona, for instance), and it’s due to all the moisture in the air. If you keep the excess water out of your home’s air, you can set the thermostat higher and it will still feel like a lower temperature! Plus, your air conditioner won’t have to work as hard to keep you feeling the same level of cool.

Check your ductworkYour ductwork is the system that your conditioned air uses to travel throughout your home, and if there’s something blocking the air’s passage or absorbing the cold air, then it’s not functioning efficiently! In our 45+ years of air duct cleaning, we’ve seen all kinds of things blocking up air ducts: toys, plastic bags, bird nests, and even the occasional dead varmint! Needless to say, a blocked duct isn’t pushing cold air through into your home.The most common thing found in air ducts, however, is dust, and it will absolutely cripple your air conditioner’s efficiency. Dust, debris, and pet hair will soak up cool air on a hot day, meaning you’re paying extra to cool down all the junk inside your ducts instead of your home! Dirty air ducts can cost you hundreds in a single summer in additional energy costs!

Those are just a few ways to maximize your A/C efficiency. Follow these tips to help “chill” your energy bill and stay frosty this summer!

Modernistic has been keeping Michigan cool with expert air duct cleaning for over 45 years! Contact us today if you want to maximize your A/C efficiency and stay comfortable this summer

Posted Thursday, May 31st, 2018

Finishing a home renovation project is one of the most satisfying moments of a homeowner’s life. But like my father always said, “the job isn’t done until you’ve cleaned up after yourself”. If you’ve ever worked with drywall or wood, then you know that’s no easy task! Drywall dust and sawdust seem to get everywhere, even in rooms you weren’t working. If the proper steps aren’t taken to limit construction dust prior to your renovations, you can end up with extensive labor to get your house looking new.

Building a new home or renovating your current one can certainly take lots of work and time but even after the work itself there’s always lots of cleanup. So how do you limit the amount of dust and debris traveling through your home?

Cover It Up

When renovating your current home the first step is to prepare each room where work is being done. Remove what you can from the room and anything that is too heavy to move cover with plastic to prevent it from being covered with dust. Cover each doorway into the area with plastic, cut a slit down the plastic, and install a zipper along the cut for easy access that contains any debris.

Secure Your Vents

Any kind of construction, especially when installing or removing drywall, can send tiny particulates into the air that your duct system will keep recirculating through your home. You can limit construction dust like this by making sure all the vents in the room you are working are closed. Simply cut an appropriate length of plastic and tape it around the vents (use painter’s tape for easy removal). This way, none of the dust gets sucked into your HVAC system and distributed in other areas of your home.

One Final Clean

Even if you follow all these steps, once the renovations are complete there will undoubtedly still be construction dust throughout your home. After removing the plastic coverings from your newly remodeled room, make sure to wipe down all horizontal surfaces. Take your time and look around; there are plenty of surfaces so it’s easy to miss some, like the tops of doorways.

Don’t Forget The HVAC System!

After that is done you will want to replace your furnace filter and have your ductwork professionally cleaned to remove any particulate from your air. Otherwise dust and debris can continue to circulate through your home, causing you to dust more often than ever before.

Renovating your home can be a stressful process but with just a little care to limit construction dust before and after, you can make it a much easier task.

Posted Friday, May 25th, 2018

Michigan is a very fickle state, weather-wise. Bitterly cold winters give way to hot, humid summers (sometimes within the same week!), and all the while we’re spending a small fortune on heating and cooling our homes. Since the weather isn’t going anywhere, here are a few easy steps to make your HVAC system more efficient and save you money on your energy bills.

Change The Furnace Filter

The first (and easiest) steps you can do to make your HVAC system run more efficiently is to routinely change the furnace filter.

The primary job of the filter is to catch dust, dander, allergens, and other airborne pollutants and keep them from circulating throughout your home or business. If your furnace filter gets clogged up with all these contaminants, it will have to work harder and run longer to maintain a steady temperature.

It’s recommended that you change your furnace filter every 2-3 months but this could vary depending on factors like the size of the filter or how many pets you have in your home.

Seal Your Seams

The second step to help make your HVAC system more efficient is to make sure all the seams along your air ducts are sealed with mastic sealant or metal tape.

A report from energystar.com stats that approximately 20-30% of air that moves through a typical duct system is lost due to leaks, holes, or poorly connected ducts.

It goes without saying that if your ductwork is leaky, your furnace isn’t able to properly distribute conditioned air. This means it is less efficient and has to run longer in order to maintain a steady temperature.

A properly sealed duct system can make your HVAC system run more efficiently and your home or business more comfortable – not to mention your wallet!

Use A Programmable Thermostat

Along with the first two steps, installing a programmable thermostat is another way you can help make your HVAC system more efficient.

On average, installing a programmable thermostat can save your up to 15% on your energy bill.

That means if you pay $250 a month on electricity, you will save $450 annually! That’s more than enough to offset the cost of purchasing a new thermostat.

Swapping out an old thermostat for a programmable one is a relatively easy DIY project, and well worth it.

Once you program in your custom schedule, your furnace will run only when you need it to, keeping your energy bill lower, reducing wear and tear, and extending the life of your system.

Clean Your Air Ducts

Over time, dust and dirt can build up on the sides of your air ducts, decreasing air flow to your vents and making it harder for your furnace to pull the necessary air through the air duct system to properly heat/cool your home or business.

Air duct cleaning from a NADCA-certified professional will eliminate any buildup in your air ducts, increasing air flow to your furnace, and allowing it to run much more efficiently.

As an added benefit, air duct cleaning will also help indoor air quality by reducing dust, dander, and other particulate, which, according to the EPA, can be 2 to 5 time higher than outdoor air! Keeping your HVAC system clean and clear of dust and debris will go a long way toward making your furnace and air conditioner run as efficiently as possible, saving you money and extending the usable life of your system.

Modernistic knows that a clean HVAC system is a happy HVAC system. That’s why we use a truck-mounted push-pull vacuum system – designed and engineered to be the most thorough and most powerful air duct cleaning possible. If you want the pros to help your furnace run more efficiently, call or click today!

Posted Tuesday, February 27th, 2018

We hear this question a lot. People often ask us “how can I tell if my air ducts need to be cleaned?”, which is not as easy to answer as it would seem. Having a clean HVAC system can help with allergies and lower your energy bills, but how often does the average house need air duct cleaning? The truth of the matter is that it depends on the home and the people living in it. Anyone with allergies or multiple pets might discover they have to get their air ducts cleaned every few years. Someone without the dirt of pets or kids might find they have to do it much more infrequently. Since there’s no such thing as the average home, here are a few ways to tell if the air ducts need to be cleaned in your home:

In Sight, In Mind

The easiest way to check to find out if your air ducts are dirty is to simply take a look. If you can, take a vent cover off and look at the inside of your ducts. If there is a buildup of dust and debris than it could very well be time to clean your air ducts. Be aware that the return registers in your home may not be the most accurate indicator, since they pull in dusty air and will get dustier much faster than the rest of your air duct system!

Location, Location, Location

While every home is going to gradually have dust settle in their duct system, there are countless external factors that can speed up the process. Living on an unpaved road or by a sandy beach can increase the amount of dirt that gets tracked into your home and pulled into your ducts. Anyone with pets will who are prone to shedding will attest that they do so everywhere, with some of it undoubtedly getting pulled into your ductwork. A little pet hair of dust in the ducts can go unnoticed for years, but if you have allergies to dust or pet dander you might find that you want to have air duct cleaning more frequently.

Love The New Bathroom, Hate The Drywall Dust

Even new homes can sometimes need their air ducts cleaned, especially after the construction phase. Drywall dust, sawdust, and other fine particulates can keep getting recirculated through your home, making it seem like you have to dust very often. Air duct cleaning can remove the drywall dust and any other construction debris behind in the ductwork of your new home.

Isn’t It Time You Checked?

While there isn’t a set standard of time, there are definitely plenty of other ways to tell if your air ducts need to be cleaned. Indoor air quality is important, and it only takes 5 minutes to see if your air ducts could be the dusty, dirty culprit! To find out more about air duct cleaning, visit our FAQ page to learn more.

If you’re ever unsure if your air ducts could use a thorough cleaning, you can always call Modernistic . One of our NADCA-certified air duct technicians would be more than happy to come out and take a look for you!

Posted Tuesday, October 3rd, 2017

Manage An Apartment Community? Here’s What You Need To Know About Dryer Vent Fires

Clogged dryer vents are one of the leading causes of multi-family housing fires. Lint that builds up over time makes the perfect tinder, and all it takes is a single spark to start an inferno. Even if you can’t see any build-up on the outside of the vent, lint can coat the inside of the ductwork leading from your dryer to the outside.

Your risk is especially high if a large number of residents share a limited number of dryers, or if anyone in the building is a smoker. Colder months are especially dangerous here in Michigan, due to dry conditions and cold weather driving smokers indoors.

So how do you cut down on your risk of dryer vent fires? Here are some Apartment Community Dryer Vents Dos and Don’ts:

DO have your dryers professionally installed – You don’t want to take chances on an incorrect installation. A pro will make sure things like electrical plugs, vent connections, and dryer spacing are all properly addressed.

DON’T use a dryer without a lint filter – The lint filter does a great job of catching the majority of clothes lint, and not having a filter is literally playing with fire. You’ll find your dryer ductwork will get clogged much quicker, requiring more frequent cleanings to cut down on fire risk.

DO listen to your residents – If your residents are complaining about the dryer taking a long time to dry their clothes, it could be a sign that the vent is clogged and restricting air flow. Similarly, if they report a dryer that’s running extremely hot, that’s another indicator that the vent is clogged with lint.

DON’T allow smoking – This should go without saying, but discarded cigarettes will ignite lint in seconds. Smokers are going to smoke, of course, so make sure they have a designated outdoor smoking area.

DO inspect regularly – Monthly inspections of the dryer, ductwork, and vent will help you identify risks quickly and act appropriately.

DON’T use vent screens – Wire or plastic screens on the outside vent exit will collect lint and other debris over time, plugging the vent and restricting air flow. Use open coverings on the vents instead.

DO keep your laundry rooms clean – Keep the area around your washers and dryers clean and free of anything flammable. Don’t use laundry facilities for storage, especially of flammable cleaning supplies.

The simple fact is that clogged apartment community dryer vents are one of the leading causes of residential structure fires in the US. Protect your community with regular cleanings from Modernistic! Our truck-mounted vacuum system is powerful enough to handle any length vent, and our certified technicians have the know-how to handle complex venting systems. Certified by the National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA), Modernistic will make sure your apartment community dryer vents are thoroughly cleaned! Contact your Modernistic office to inquire about bulk discounts today.

Contact Your Local Modernistic

Posted Monday, April 24th, 2017

4 Ways Clean Air Ducts Will Help Your Business

When’s the last time you thought about your business’s air ducts? It’s not like you ever see them. As they say: out of sight, out of mind. But, as you are well aware, what you don’t know CAN hurt you. Dirt, dust, dander, mildew, and even mold will accumulate in your HVAC system over time. Who wants that in the air they breathe? Eventually these contaminants start affecting the quality of your indoor air and employee health. Who wants that?

If your HVAC system has been neglected for a while, consider what all that dust and debris is doing to your business, and why you need an air duct cleaning from Modernistic. Here are 4 ways clean air ducts will help your business:

Healthy Employees = Productive Employees

Dirt, germs, and allergens love to hide out in your HVAC system. However, when your system kicks on, these contaminants get circulated around in the air, exposing your entire workforce to illness. If every employee cut down on just one sick day a year, how much productivity, time, and money would you save?

Put Your Best Foot Forward

You only get one chance at a first impression! What your customers and clients see when they walk into your building says a lot about your business. Start off on the right foot with a clean, presentable environment.

Cut Down on Cleaning Time

An office is only as clean as its air! If your cleaning crew is spending an inordinate amount of time cleaning up dust, it’s probably due to dirty ducts circulating the same particulate over and over again. Clean Ducts = Less Dust = Less Cleaning Time.

Clean, Breathable Air

The HVAC system is your office’s biggest contributor to air quality. You and your co-workers spend 8+ hours a day here, so don’t skimp on your health! Keep it clean and you’ll breathe easy.

Modernistic uses only the most powerful and state of the art equipment available in the commercial air duct cleaning industry to give the most thorough and complete cleaning possible. We work hard to give each and every customer the commercial air duct cleaning services they need at an affordable price, and all of our cleaning services are covered with a 100% customer satisfaction guarantee. Call Modernistic today for your free estimate, and see why we are the leader in the commercial air duct cleaning industry. Experience for yourself how clean air ducts will help your business!

Posted Friday, April 7th, 2017

Purify Your Home’s Air in 6 Easy Steps

Cold weather means furnaces are turning on across Michigan, forcing many of us to stay indoors as the temperature drops. Unfortunately, according to the EPA, the level of indoor pollutants can be up to 60% higher than outside air! Not cool!

Fortunately, there are steps you can take to purify your home’s air. Here’s how to help purify your home’s air and breathe easy this winter:

Dust everything! Really give your home a thorough once-over with the feather duster. Try to remove as much dust as you can, rather than spreading it around. Don’t be afraid to use multiple dusters!

Deep clean your upholstery and carpet. Allergens love to hide in the fibers of your carpet and the fabric of your furniture, becoming airborne as they are disturbed. Even a light vacuuming can help remove allergens on the surface. Your carpet is your home’s biggest air filter, after all! To get a deep and complete cleaning, a professional truck-mounted extraction system will give the most thorough cleaning and remove as many allergens as possible.

Don’t idle your car in the garage. Your car, lawnmower, snow blower, and other motorized equipment give off carbon monoxide, which can leak into your home if left to build up in your garage. Try to run them outside only.

Get your air ducts professionally cleaned. This is probably the most important step. Your HVAC system is designed to circulate air throughout your home, but any dust, dirt, or other particulate in your ductwork get blown about as well. A professional cleaning using a truck-mounted vacuum system is the best way to clean every square inch of your ductwork system.

Change your furnace filter regularly. Your furnace filter is your first line of defense against airborne particulate. There’s even special allergen-specific filters you can get for even better allergy relief.

Clean out your dryer vent. Gases from your dryer, if not vented properly, can build up and enter your home’s air. Get your dryer vent cleaned at least once a year to prevent lint and other debris from blocking it up.

Posted Monday, January 2nd, 2017

Cleaning Resolutions to Starting the New Year right in 2017.

When the ball finally drops, whether you are asleep on the couch or singing Auld Lang Sayne, champagne flute in hand, most of us have made some resolutions. In the past you’ve resolved to eat well, love well, dress well, work well, and play well. Our homes, though, tend to be neglected until spring cleaning rolls around. If your house hasn’t ever benefited from your New Year’s stamina, here are eight resolutions that will make your home a happier and healthier place to live.

1. Treat your trash bins like you’re the janitor.

Cleaning professionals slip extra bags at the bottom of each trash bin, so that you can pull the old trash and put in the new liner without a time-wasting extra trip to the supply closet. Not only will this save you time at home, but it will also eliminate those frustrating moments when you realize there’s no liner in the trash can.

2. Create a cleaning caddy.

While you are stealing tricks from people who know how to clean, why not create a cleaning caddy? Like the cleaning cart housecleaners and janitors use, it will keep all the essentials handy. You’ll be ready to clean right away. No more digging through cupboards or closets for your favorite squeegee – cleaning starts right when you’re ready.

3. Wash dishes as you cook.

Cooking is filled with small moments of unused time – five minutes to preheat the oven, ten for water to boil, eight while you wait for the soup to simmer. Use the minutes wisely by washing some of the dishes that were dirtied during dinner prep. That way after dinner your task is much less daunting.

4. Choose one small thing that’s been really bothering you and fix it.

Maybe you have one window that won’t close properly, a leaky faucet, or a light that’s hard to reach with a burned out bulb. Whatever it is that’s been bothering you, take an hour of time and fix the problem. You’ll feel like a champion. Even better, it won’t take an entire Saturday.

5. Clean out one cupboard or drawer a week.

Instead of resolving to tackle a huge project, take small steps every day to make your home a little more organized. Slow and steady progress on decluttering and organizing improves the entire function of your home. You can also sort the stuff in one drawer in the time that it takes to listen to a single podcast.

6. Do one load of laundry from start to finish every day.

The problem with laundry is how quickly it piles up. The more there is to do, the greater the psychological barrier to beginning. Instead of pledging to get all the laundry done immediately, start small by doing one load every day. Wash dry and put away one load, and it will keep the larger project much more manageable. Once you’ve begun you may even find you’re inspired to keep going.

7. Make your bed every morning.

Some of us struggle to get a good night’s sleep. This year, give your bed a mini-makeover. Invest in new sheets, a quality mattress topper, and fresh pillows. Then, when you get up in the morning make your bed. Each night you’ll come back to bed that is inviting as possible, and a bedroom that is clean and relaxing.

8. Improve your indoor air quality.

It’s still only January, which means we have several long winter months left to spend indoors. Make sure that the air you’re breathing is free of dust-mites, mold, bacteria and viruses. Purchasing an indoor air filter to remove pollutants or some easy-care houseplants is a great start. You can also schedule an HVAC cleaning with Modernistic to take comprehensive measures to improve indoor air quality. Use our easy online scheduling tool to contact us today.

Posted Monday, October 31st, 2016

Cozy, beautiful, and allergen-free

If dust and mold trigger your allergies, it can be hard to enjoy the comforts of home in Saugatuck. Fortunately, expert designers know how to curate home decor in a way that keeps allergens at bay—and can still be beautiful and uniquely yours.

What causes home allergies?

Mold and dust mites are some of the most common causes of allergy symptoms in the home. Dust mites thrive in pet dander and dust, and mold loves damp, humid conditions. If you can reduce dust and mold, you’ll reduce allergens. So where do you start?

Start by clearing away clutter.

You know all those toys, knick-knacks, and stacks of clutter that don’t do anything but collect dust? They collect dust. Go for a clean, minimal look to reduce the surfaces that attract dust.

Some items in your home are necessary or valuable to you—children’s toys, family heirlooms, things of beauty—and you’ll probably want to keep these. To reduce dust in your living areas, consider displaying a few of these items at a time and placing the rest in storage. When the season changes or you get an itch to reorganize—or when the kids get bored with their toys—rotate a few items out of storage.

Before storing them, wipe off any dust with a damp cloth and allow them to dry completely to avoid the potential for mold.

Choose your furniture and upholstery carefully.

Opt for light, washable curtains, leather furniture, and lamp shades that can be easily wiped or washed. Heavy drapes can look stylish and dramatic, but they collect dust and moisture, which encourages mold growth. Washing your drapes frequently will remove allergens from your home.

In addition, leather furniture can be wiped down easily, making dust less of a problem than with cloth furniture. If you can, reduce the number of flat surfaces, including coffee tables and end tables, since dust will gather on the tabletops.

Pay attention to humidity levels, and decorate accordingly.

Bathrooms, basements, and laundry rooms are notorious for high humidity, so target your dehumidifiers in these areas and use mildew-resistant paint. In addition, avoid carpet in high-humidity areas. If the hard floor needs a splash of color, go for a washable rug—and wash it regularly.

Don’t let allergens drive you up the wall.

You want your walls to look nice, and there are plenty of options available for allergy sufferers. For example, choose paint over wallpaper, since mold and dust are less attracted to painted surfaces. If solid colors aren’t your thing, consider painting the trim a different color or using stencils to add designs and patterns.

When selecting and placing wall art, remember that you’ll want to dust it regularly. It’s easier to remove, clean, and replace solid frames that hang in easily accessible areas. Intricate, textured items and items hanging far out of reach are more difficult to clean.

The gap between kitchen cabinets and the ceiling is a favorite place for dust, and most people rarely get around to cleaning this area. If you’re remodeling your kitchen, change your cupboards for ones that reach the ceiling.

Curbing the green thumb.

Plants can add life and color to any house, but if your allergies are sensitive, select them carefully. Broad leaves can collect dust, which will need to be wiped or sprayed down, and moist environments like terrariums can encourage mold growth. With this in mind, choose a small number of plants that prefer a dry environment and find decorative pots that really pop.

Bringing in the outdoors

If you’re lucky enough to avoid seasonal allergies, open windows when weather permits to encourage airflow and discourage dust. Fresh air can liven up any room! But grass and mud are another story. Keep them at bay with a no-shoes rule, which you can accent with a colorful boot tray and cheerful, effective welcome mats.

Wash linens in hot water.

Mites and mold don’t easily make it through the hottest cycle, and they’re even less likely to survive bleach. You can cut down on allergens in your home by washing your sheets, comforters, curtains, towels, and rugs in hot water.

Allergens won’t survive this treatment, but you want your linens to come out looking great. When you’re selecting your decor, check the care instructions, and try to find items that fit your style and can retain their look after several hot-water washings.

Regular cleaning is important.

Any house looks better when it’s clean, but if you’ve got allergies, it’s even more important. A cleaner house will keep your sinuses happier.

The person with the fewest household allergies should take the dustiest jobs, but if you’re on your own, you can wear a dust mask or hire a cleaning service like Modernistic. Our anti-allergen programs can reduce your home’s allergens by 90 percent, including common ones from pet dander and dust mites.

However, be careful when considering renting a shampoo or steam cleaner for your carpet. Most shampoo cleaners don’t heat water to a temperature that will make a noticeable difference in the allergens in your home, and steam cleaners can leave moisture in your carpet fibers that encourage mold growth.

In through the nose…

With a clean, low-allergen home, you can relax and enjoy the atmosphere you’ve created without a stuffy nose or watery eyes. Take a deep breath in through the nose—because you can.